Never Again: Why I Refuse to Waste My Time in Pointless Work Meetings
We all have those moments. You know the ones that stop us mid-scroll, mid-thought, or mid-bite of our holiday potluck casserole, where we zoom out and think: “Is this really what I’m giving my precious hours of life to?”
I had one of those moments in 2019. I was sitting in a beige conference room at a “holiday work party,” watching a magician perform for a dozen adults who were all just politely nodding along. It wasn’t about the magician (bless his heart). It wasn’t even about the awkward small talk over a store-bought veggie tray. It was about me realizing how misaligned I was. That moment was my big, bold line in the sand: Never again.
But here’s the thing: never again moments don’t always feel seismic in the moment. Sometimes they show up as the smallest whispers of discomfort like the boring meeting, the overstuffed calendar, the soul-sucking office traditions. And if you’re willing to pay attention, they can become the clearest permission slips you’ll ever get to start creating the life you actually want.
The Wake-Up Call in a Holiday Party
It was 2019, and I found myself at a holiday work event that was supposed to “build team culture.” Instead, I spent hours on the road to sit through awkward potluck chatter and watch a magician perform for a room of adults who were just… politely amused.
I remember looking around and asking myself: “Kelly, is this really what you want for your life?” The answer was loud and clear. Nope. Never again.
Those small moments—the cringe, the discomfort, the wasted time—matter. They show us where our tolerance has tipped and where we’re ready to make change.
The Power of “Never Again” Moments
Picture this: I drove an hour and a half through snow just before the holidays already juggling family chaos and year-end deadlines, only to arrive at a “team potluck” where I barely knew anyone. The event climax? A magician. Performing tricks for a dozen grown professionals who looked like they wanted to crawl out of their skin.
I remember sitting there, forcing a smile, texting my work bestie (who had skipped out sick) saying, “You are so lucky you’re not here.” That’s when it hit me: Kelly, is this really what you’re here for? Is this how you want to spend your time, your talent, your life?
It wasn’t about the magician. It was about the absurdity of wasting my creativity, my ideas, and my energy on something that felt so painfully pointless. In that moment, I realized something powerful: the things we tolerate are teaching us exactly where our boundaries need to be drawn.
Shifting From Stuck to Choice
So what do you do with these “never again” moments? You use them as leverage. You use them as a pivot point into choice.
Because here’s the truth: you always have a choice. You can keep tolerating what drains you or you can decide to shift into what lights you up. When I coach women through these crossroads, there are usually two paths:
Perspective Shift: You realize you are choosing your job. No one’s holding you hostage. That realization alone frees you from resentment. You may still stay, but you stop being the victim of your circumstances. You show up with intention, with choice, and that changes everything.
Next-Level Leap: You finally give your so-called “side hustle” the oxygen it deserves. You stop treating it like a cute passion project and start building it like the business it actually is. You stop waiting for permission and step into your own authority.
Both paths are valid. Both are powerful. And both begin the moment you stop saying “I have to” and start saying, “I choose to.”
It’s never really about the paycheck. It’s about how you feel in the hours of your life. It’s about whether you come home from work drained, resentful, and counting down the hours. or alive, lit up, and excited for what’s next.
🚩 Your “never again” moments are not inconveniences. They are gifts. They are clarifiers. They are the boldest little nudges pointing you toward what you’re really meant to do.
So I’ll leave you with this question: What’s one “never again” you’re still tolerating? And how much longer are you willing to sit in it before you decide—no, but seriously—never again?
✨ Want to hear the full story?
This blog was inspired by Day 3 of my Never Again podcast series, where I share the behind-the-scenes of that infamous holiday work party (yes, including the magician 🙈) and how it became a turning point for me.
🎧 Click here to listen to the full episode and let it be your reminder that your “never again” moments are not annoyances—they’re invitations to shift.
